Psalm 104
Expanded Bible
Praise to God Who Made the World
104 ·My whole being [T O my soul], ·praise [bless] the Lord.
Lord my God, you are very great.
You are clothed with ·glory [splendor] and ·majesty [beauty];
2 you ·wear [L wrap yourself in] light like a robe [Hab. 3:4; 1 John 1:5].
You stretch out the ·skies [heavens] like a tent [Is. 40:22].
3 You ·build your room above the clouds [L set the beams of your upper room on the waters].
You make the clouds your chariot [18:10–19; 68:4; Is. 19:1; Dan. 7:13–14; Luke 21:27; Rev. 1:7],
and you ride on the wings of the wind.
4 You make the winds your messengers,
and flames of fire are your ·servants [ministers; Heb. 1:7].
5 You ·built [founded] the earth on its foundations
so it can never be moved.
6 You covered the earth with ·oceans [L the deeps];
the water ·was above [L stood over] the mountains.
7 But at your ·command [reprimand; rebuke], the water ·rushed away [fled].
·When you thundered your orders [L At the sound of your thunder], it hurried away.
8 The mountains rose; the valleys sank.
The water went to the places you ·made [founded] for it.
9 You set borders for the seas that they cannot ·cross [pass],
so water will never cover the earth again [C as before the third day creation or during the Flood; Gen. 1:9–10; 9:9–17; Job 38:8–11; Prov. 8:29].
10 You make springs pour into the ·ravines [wadis];
they flow between the mountains.
11 They water all the ·wild animals [L creatures of the field];
the wild donkeys ·come there to drink [L quench their thirst].
12 ·Wild birds [Birds of the sky/heavens] ·make nests by the water [L dwell by them];
they ·sing [L give voice] among the tree branches.
13 You water the mountains from ·above [L your high dwelling].
The earth is ·full of [or satisfied by] ·the things you made [L the fruit of your works].
14 You make the grass grow for cattle
and ·vegetables [plants] for the people to ·use [cultivate].
You make ·food [or bread] ·grow [L come out] from the earth.
15 You give us wine that ·makes happy hearts [rejoices the hearts of people; John 2:1–12]
and olive oil that makes our faces shine [C soothing skin in a dry climate; Luke 7:46].
You give us bread that gives us ·strength [sustenance].
16 The Lord’s trees ·have plenty of water [flourish];
they are the cedars of Lebanon [C the most majestic trees known], which he planted.
17 The birds make their nests there;
the stork’s home is in the fir trees.
18 The high mountains belong to the wild goats.
The rocks are ·hiding places [refuge] for the badgers.
19 You made the moon ·to mark the seasons [for appointed times; Gen. 1:14; Lev. 23:2, 4, 37, 44],
and the sun always knows when to set.
20 You make it dark, and it becomes night.
Then all the ·wild animals [L creatures of the forest] ·creep [swarm] around.
21 The lions roar ·as they attack [L for prey].
They ·look to [seek] God for food.
22 When the sun rises, they leave
and go back to their dens to lie down.
23 Then people go to work
and ·work [labor] until evening.
24 Lord, ·you have made many things;
with your wisdom you made them all [Prov. 8:22–31].
The earth is full of your ·riches [or creatures].
25 Look at the sea, so big and wide,
with creatures large and small, ·creeping [swarming] things that cannot be counted.
26 Ships travel over the ocean,
and there is Leviathan [C a sea monster and symbol of chaos; 74:14; Job 3:8; 41:1; Is. 27:1],
which you made to play there.
27 All these things ·depend [hope; wait] on you
to give them their food at the right time.
28 When you give it to them,
they gather it up.
When you open your hand,
they are ·filled [satisfied] with good food.
29 When you ·turn away [L hide your face] from them,
they ·become frightened [are terrified].
When you take away their breath,
they ·die [expire] and turn to dust [Gen. 2:7; Eccl. 12:7].
30 When you ·breathe [L send your breath/or Spirit] on them,
they are created [Gen. 2:7],
and you make the land new again.
31 May the glory of the Lord [C his manifest presence] be forever.
May the Lord ·enjoy [rejoice in] what he has made.
32 He just looks at the earth, and it ·shakes [trembles].
He touches the mountains, and they smoke.
33 I will sing to the Lord all my life;
I will ·sing praises [make a psalm] to my God as long as I live.
34 May my ·thoughts [meditations] please him;
I ·am happy [will rejoice] in the Lord.
35 Let sinners be ·destroyed [obliterated] from the earth,
and let the wicked live no longer.
·My whole being [T O my soul], ·praise [bless] the Lord.
Praise the Lord.
Psalm 104
New American Standard Bible
The Lord’s Care over All His Works.
104 (A)Bless the Lord, my soul!
Lord my God, You are very great;
You are (B)clothed with splendor and majesty,
2 Covering Yourself with (C)light as with a cloak,
(D)Stretching out heaven like a tent curtain.
3 [a]He (E)lays the beams of His upper chambers in the waters;
[b]He makes the (F)clouds His chariot;
[c]He walks on the (G)wings of the wind;
4 [d]He makes [e](H)the winds His messengers,
[f]Flaming (I)fire His ministers.
5 He (J)established the earth upon its foundations,
So that it will not [g]totter forever and ever.
6 You (K)covered it with the deep sea as with a garment;
The waters were standing above the mountains.
7 They fled from Your (L)rebuke,
At the (M)sound of Your thunder they hurried away.
8 The mountains rose; the valleys sank down
To the (N)place which You established for them.
9 You set a (O)boundary so that they will not pass over,
So that they will not return to cover the earth.
10 [h]He sends forth (P)springs in the valleys;
They flow between the mountains;
11 They (Q)give drink to every animal of the field;
The (R)wild donkeys quench their thirst.
12 The birds of the sky (S)dwell [i]beside them;
They [j]lift up their voices from among the branches.
13 [k]He (T)waters the mountains from His upper chambers;
(U)The earth is satisfied with the fruit of His works.
14 [l]He causes the (V)grass to grow for the [m]cattle,
And (W)vegetation for the labor of mankind,
So that [n]they may produce [o]food (X)from the earth,
15 And (Y)wine, which makes a human heart cheerful,
(Z)So that he makes his face gleam with oil,
And [p]food, which (AA)sustains a human heart.
16 The trees of the Lord [q]drink their fill,
The cedars of Lebanon which He planted,
17 Where the (AB)birds build their nests,
And the (AC)stork, whose home is the juniper trees.
18 The high mountains are for the (AD)wild goats;
The (AE)cliffs are a refuge for the (AF)rock hyrax.
19 He made the moon (AG)for the seasons;
The (AH)sun knows the place of its setting.
20 You (AI)appoint darkness and it becomes night,
In which all the (AJ)animals of the forest [r]prowl about.
21 The (AK)young lions roar for their prey
[s]And (AL)seek their food from God.
22 When the sun rises they withdraw,
And they lie down in their (AM)dens.
23 A person goes out to (AN)his work
And to his labor until evening.
24 Lord, how (AO)many are Your works!
[t]In (AP)wisdom You have made them all;
The (AQ)earth is full of Your [u]possessions.
25 [v]There is the (AR)sea, great and [w]broad,
In which are swarms without number,
Animals both small and great.
26 The (AS)ships move along there,
And [x](AT)Leviathan, which You have formed to have fun in it.
27 They all (AU)wait for You
To (AV)give them their food in [y]due season.
28 You give to them, they gather it up;
You (AW)open Your hand, they are satisfied with good.
29 You (AX)hide Your face, they are terrified;
You (AY)take away their breath, they perish
And (AZ)return to their dust.
30 You send forth Your [z](BA)Spirit, they are created;
And You renew the face of the ground.
31 May the (BB)glory of the Lord endure forever;
May the Lord (BC)rejoice in His works;
32 [aa]He (BD)looks at the earth, and it (BE)trembles;
He (BF)touches the mountains, and they smoke.
33 [ab]I will sing to the Lord [ac](BG)as long as I live;
[ad]I will (BH)sing praise to my God [ae]while I have my being.
34 May my (BI)praise be pleasing to Him;
As for me, I shall (BJ)rejoice in the Lord.
35 May sinners be (BK)removed from the earth
And may the (BL)wicked be no more.
(BM)Bless the Lord, my soul.
[af](BN)Praise [ag]the Lord!
Footnotes
- Psalm 104:3 Lit The one who
- Psalm 104:3 Lit The one who
- Psalm 104:3 Lit The one who
- Psalm 104:4 Lit Who
- Psalm 104:4 Or His angels, spirits
- Psalm 104:4 Or His ministers flames of fire
- Psalm 104:5 Or move out of place
- Psalm 104:10 Lit The one who sends
- Psalm 104:12 Or over; or above
- Psalm 104:12 Lit give forth
- Psalm 104:13 Lit Who
- Psalm 104:14 Lit Who
- Psalm 104:14 Or animals
- Psalm 104:14 Or He
- Psalm 104:14 Lit bread
- Psalm 104:15 Lit bread
- Psalm 104:16 Lit are satisfied
- Psalm 104:20 Lit crawl
- Psalm 104:21 Lit And to seek
- Psalm 104:24 Or With
- Psalm 104:24 Or creatures
- Psalm 104:25 Or This
- Psalm 104:25 Or broad of dimensions; lit hands
- Psalm 104:26 Or a sea monster
- Psalm 104:27 Lit its appointed time
- Psalm 104:30 Or breath
- Psalm 104:32 Lit The one who
- Psalm 104:33 Or Let me sing
- Psalm 104:33 Lit in my lifetime
- Psalm 104:33 Or Let me sing
- Psalm 104:33 Lit while I still am
- Psalm 104:35 Or Hallelujah!
- Psalm 104:35 Heb Yah
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
